Odike Joins President Mahama On Turkey Trip

Odike

The presidential candidate of the United Front Party (UFP) in the 2012 election, Mr Akwasi Addai, has expressed gratitude to President John Mahama for inviting him to join a government delegation to attend a three-day business conference in Istanbul, Turkey.

“This shows the President is walking the talk of ensuring an all-inclusive government,” he told Graphic Online in a pre-departure interview in Accra.

Mr Addai, who is popularly known as 'Odike', said the invitation extended to him also indicated that President Mahama appreciated his (Odike's) election campaign message on business.

An accomplished businessman based in Kumasi, who deals mostly in footwear, the UFP flag bearer had anchored his election campaign on the promotion of business and job creation in the country.

The government delegation has since left Accra for the business conference, which is scheduled for January 21 to 23, 2013.

It is being organised by the Confederation of Businessmen and Industrialists of Turkey with the aim of promoting business investment in participating countries.

Mr Addai was the first presidential candidate to concede defeat, even before the declaration of the final results.

He was also the first presidential candidate to publicly congratulate President Mahama on winning the election and call on the other presidential candidates to rally behind the president-elect.